Acceleration Day and Evening Academy

Acceleration Day and Evening Academy is a public charter high school in Mobile, AL, serving 513 students in grades 9-12 through the MAEF Public Charter Schools district, offering both daytime and evening schedules to accommodate students who may be working, parenting, or need flexible learning options.

The most remarkable story here is the school's dramatic turnaround in graduation rates. In just two years, the graduation rate jumped from 51.7% (2022-2023) to 91.8% (2024-2025)—now actually exceeding the state average of 91.5%. This is especially impressive when compared to nearby alternative options like the Continuous Learning Center, which has a 4.6% graduation rate and a 38.4% dropout rate. The school also boasts exceptionally low chronic absenteeism at just 6.3%, less than half the state average of 12.0% and dramatically better than neighboring schools like Ben C Rain High School (32.1%) and Lillie B Williamson High School (28.6%). The evening program appears to be a key factor—students can attend school around work and family responsibilities, which keeps them coming back.

However, academic proficiency remains a serious concern. Only 4.39% of 11th graders are proficient in math and 12.5% in English, compared to state averages of 27.21% and 33.73%. While the school has clearly solved the "keeping students in school" problem, it hasn't yet solved the "ensuring students learn" problem. With 83% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, the school serves a high-poverty population, and its spending of $9,373 per student is far below the $56,017 spent at the Continuous Learning Center. The school has shown some effectiveness with special education students (ranking 54th percentile in 2023-2024) and serves male students somewhat better than female students. For parents, this school offers a supportive, flexible environment that gets students to graduation—but you should be prepared to supplement academic learning at home.